Electrical wiring system

ABSTRACT

A motor vehicle electrical system includes a ring main for supplying power to the various loads and also a plurality of signal lines which are connectable in unique pairs to the vehicle battery in order to energize control devices associated with the loads so that energization of a particular control device causes power to be supplied to the associated loads from the ring main.

United States Patent 1 Wright [11] 3,745,419 July 10, 1973 1 ELECTRICALWIRING SYSTEM [75 l Inventor: Frank Wright, Coventry.

England [73] Assignee: Jaquar Cars Limited, Coventry,

England [22] Filed: Apr. 9, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 132,814

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 10, 1970 Great Britain17,053/70 [52] US. Cl. 317/137, 307/10 R, 307/10 LS [51] Int. Cl H02g3/00 Field of Search 317/134, 137;

340/176, 347 DD, 166 R, 167 R, 167 P, 166 S, 163; 307/29, 38, 40, 115,139, 140, 10 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,360 4/1925 Vickery317/157 X 3,544,803 12/1970 Taylor 307/140 X 3,564,280 2/1971 Sognefest307/10 R X 2,957,168 10/1960 Dempsey et a1. 340/176 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,955,880 6/1970 Germany 317/157 1,146,170 12/1961 Germany340/176 Primary ExaminerJ. D. Miller Assistant Examinerl-larry E. Moose,Jr. Attorney-Stowell & Stowell [5 7] ABSTRACT A motor vehicle electricalsystem includes a ring main for supplying power to the various loads andalso a plurality of signal lines which are connectable in unique pairsto the vehicle battery in order to energize control devices associatedwith the loads so that energization of a particular control devicecauses power to be supplied to the associated loads from the ring main.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 2e 2e 2e 1 ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM Theinvention relates to an electrical supply system, particularly, but notexclusively, for motor vehicles.

According to the present invention an electrical system, for energizingany one of a plurality of loads, comprises the following combination offeatures:

a. a single power supply line from which each load can be energized bythe operation of a control device associated with it;

b. a plurality of signal lines adapted to carry current for energizingthe control devices; and

c. a plurality of switches associated with the loads respectively, eachswitch when operated energizing a unique combination of at least two ofthe plurality of signal lines so as to cause energization of theassociated control device.

According to one aspect of the invention an electrical system forenergizing any one of a plurality of loads comprises the followingcombination of features:

a. a single power supply line is connected to a battery;

b. each of a plurality of loads is connectable to the power line throughnormally open contacts of an associated relay;

c. each relay is connected to a unique combination of two lines of aplurality of signal lines; and

d. each signal line is connectable to the battery through an associatedswitch such that closure of the switch brings the two associated signallines into circuit with the associated relay coil to energize the latterand thereby close its contacts.

According to a further aspect of the invention in a motor vehicleelectrical system which comprises the following combination of features:

a. a single power supply line from which each load can be energized bythe operation of a control device associated with it;

b. a plurality of signal lines adapted to carry current for energizingthe control devices; and

c. a plurality of-switches associated with the loads respectively, eachswitch when operated energizing a unique combination of at least two ofthe plurality of signal lines so as to cause energization of theassociated control device,

further loads are connected directly to the signal lines by singlefeeder lines so that the further loads are energized whenever that lineis not being used to energize a control device. The further loads couldcomprise instruments.

How the invention may be carried out will now be described, by way ofexample only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a first electrical system, for use in amotor vehicle; and

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a second electrical system, for use in amotor vehicle.

FIGURE 1 A portion of a power supply line 1 is shown. This line may beof any desired length or shape and be a closed ring main or be open, ie.it may be an open loop of any desired configuration or laid in a line orlines. Parallel with the supply line 1 is a plurality of signal lines 2to 7 for energizing relays 22 to 25. Although six signal lines have beenshown, there may be less or more. The signal lines 2-7 are preferably ofthe same length and follow the saine configuration as the supply line 1.At one end of the supply line 1 a connection 8 is made to one terminalof abattery or other electrical supply 9. The other terminal of thebattery is connected to an earth return, eg. the vehicle chassis. Atdesired positions in the length of the supply line 1 feeder lines, of

and gate 27 permitting electrical current to flow only in the directionfrom the tappings 26 to the relays 22 to 25. The latter are alsoconnected to the common earth return. At a remote position along thelength of the signal lines 2 to 7, tappings are taken through diodes 28to a plurality of control switches of which four 30 to 33 are shown. Thediodes 28 together with the diodes 27 prevent spurious signals beingtransmitted from the switches to incorrect relays. The switches 30 to 33are so arranged that when they are in their normally open positions, asshown, they are connected in series with each other and also byconductor 34 to the battery connection 8 and to the supply line 1. Thetappings 29 are connected to different combinations of any two of thesignal lines 2 to 7. Therefore with the six signal lines 2 to 7 thereare 15 different ways in which the tappings 29 can be connected andtherefore 15 different switches such as 30 to 33 can be provided. Thetappings 26 leading to the relays 22 to 25 are connected tocorresponding pairs of the signal lines 2 to 7 and therefore it ispossible for fifteen relays such as 22 to 25 to be provided, each beingoperable by a different one of the switches such as 30 to 33. By havingdifferent numbers of relay-energizing signal lines such as 2 to 7, andtaking combinations of two or more tappings therefrom, different numbersof switches, such as 30 to 33, and associated relays, such as 22 to 25,can be provided.

As the switches 30 to 33 are connected in series in their openpositions, when any one of the switches has been moved to a closedposition, any of the other switches which are downstream of that switch,ie. to the right in FIG. 1, is prevented from effecting operations ofits associated relay. The switches are preferably biased into theirillustrated positions in which they are open and therefore current isonly temporarily passed along the relevant lines 2 to 7 while theappropriate switch 30 to 33 is depressed. The relays 22 to 25 may be ofthe pulse type, but they are preferably of the bistable kind, whereby afirst signal applied through the appropriate switch 30 to 33 willenergize the corresponding relay 22 to 25 and the next closure of theswitch 30 to 33 will de-energize the relay 22 to 25 and so onsuccessively. This'has the advantage that as all the switches 30 to 33are normally open, the relay contacts 14 to 17 will remain in eithertheir closed or open positions until the next operation of thecorresponding switch 30 to 33 and also the lines 2 to 7 will only carrycurrent when the appropriate switch 30 to 33 hasbe'en temporarilyclosed. Therefore, the lines 2 to 7 can at all to 33, be used forcarrying current for other purposes, eg. for transmitting signals toinstruments.

The operation of the system is as follows. Assuming that the switch 30is temporarily closed, the lines 2 and 3 will temporarily pass currentand this will be applied to the relay 22. As current is flowing throughboth of the tappings 26 associated with the relay 22 it will beenergized to effect closure of the relay contacts 14 and energization ofthe corresponding load 18. After release of the switch 30, the relaycontacts 14 will remain closed until the switch 30 has again beendepressed to cause actuation of the relay 22. The relays 22 to 25 are ofthe kind requiring energizing current to pass through both of thetappings 26 before the relay will be energized and as diodes 28 and 27are provided, the relay 22 will not be influenced by spurious signalspassing through eitherof the signal lines 2 or 3 from any of the othersignal lines.

Similarly, when the switch 31 is closed, the signal lines 2 and 4 willpass current and will energize only the relay 23; when the switch 32 isclosed, the lines 2 and only will pass current, thereby energizing onlythe relay 24; when the switch 33 is closed, the lines 3 and 4 only willpass current, thereby energizing only the relay 25. As aforesaid, thereare fifteen possible combinations of selecting any two of the six lines.If two switches are inadvertently depressed at the same time, only theone nearer to the conductor 34 will effect operation of thecorresponding relay.

The supply line 1 may also be used for supplying feeder lines such as 35for operating loads 36 through local switches 37, the load beingconnected also to the earth return. The feeder lines such as 35 may beprovided anywhere in the length of the supply line 1.

The supply line 1 and the signal lines 2 to 7 may conveniently bearranged side-by-side in an extrusion of an insulating material such asrubber or a synthetic plastics material ie. as a single cable. Thecross-sectional shape of the extrusion may be asymmetrical, therebypreventing incorrect connection to any one of the lines 1 or 2 to 7. Thefeeder lines such as to 13 and the associated relay tappings 26 maylikewise be formed in extrusions or in blocks of insulating material.Each of these may be of peculiar shape so that it can only be connectedwith its tappings 26 in contact with the appropriate lines 2 to 7.Alternatively, each extrusion or block carrying a feeder line, such as10 to 13, and the associated tappings 26 may be of uniformcrosssectional shape, the connection between the tappings 26 and theappropriate lines 2 to 7 being made through an adaptor of peculiarshape.

FIGURE 2 A supply line 41 and associated signal lines 42 to 47 similarto signal lines 1 to 7 respectively in FIG. 1 are arranged to form aring main or other required layout. As in FIG. 1, the supply line 41 isconnected to one terminal of a battery or other electrical supply 49.Also, the supply line has a plurality of feed lines such as 50 to 53connected to it at desired positions along its length. Each feed lineincludes the normally open contacts such as 54 to 57 of relays 62 to 65through which current can be supplied to loads 58 to 61. The loads areeach connected via an earth return, eg. through a vehicle chassis, tothe other terminal of the battery 49. The system showed in FIG. 2differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that control switches such as 70 to73 are of the double-pole type instead of being of the single pole type.The switches to 73 are shown in their open positions to which they arebiased and are connected in series with each other. The switches areconnected, when closed, to connect the battery 49 or other battery orsource of electricity to different pairs of the signal lines 42 to 47,e.g. the switch 70 connects the battery to lines 42 and 43; the switch71 connects the battery to lines 43 and 44; the switch 72 connects thebattery to lines 44 and 45 and the switch 73 connects the battery tolines 45 and 46. The different pairs of lines 42 to 47 are connected tothe relays 62 to 65, so that on closure of the appropriate switch 70 to73, one of the relays will be connected in series with the batterythrough the appropriate switch and pair of signal lines. A diode 67 isconnected in series with each relay to enable the signal lines 42 to 47to be common to more than one selected pair of the signal lines. Withsix signal lines 42 to 47 and by connecting the diodes 67 inalternatively reversed directions, as shown, twelve combinations of twosignal lines are possible and by reversing the polarity of the batterythe number of possible combinations can be increased' One signal line ofeach pair acts as a supplier of current for the battery and the other asa return to the battery. As in FIG. 1, the relays are conveniently ofthe bi-stable kind so that each time a switch 70 to 73 is closed, thecorresponding contacts 54 to 57 of the associated relay will be open orclosed. Therefore, as in FIG. 1, the signal lines 42 to 47 will only beused for controlling a relay while a switch 70 to 73 is temporarilyclosed. Thus the lines 42 to 47 can also be used for carrying current toinstruments such as 75 when all the switches 70 to 73 are in theirclosed positions as illustrated. The instruments 75 can be adjusted bytrimming resistors 76 connected in series with the instruments, one setof poles of the switches 70 to 73 and the battery 49 by appropriatelines 42 to 47 and the earth return. i

As in FIG. 1, the supply line 41 can also be used to supply current toan auxiliary feeder circuit such as 35 and having a local switch 37instead of a remote switch, such as 70 to 73.

Although the electrical supply systems shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 areespecially suitable for motor vehicles, they may be used in many otherapplications, for example in airplanes, ships or buildings.

The devices used to control the supply of current to the loads from thesupply line, referred to in the claims as control devices, are shown inthe drawings as being relays. However, the invention is not limited tosuch control devices as others could be used, for example solid statedevices such as transistors or triacs.

I claim:

1. An electrical system adapted for use in an automobile, including,

a. a plurality of control devices each requiring plural inputs theretofor actuation, and adapted to each control the energization of anassociated electrical load,

b. a plurality of signal lines connected to and adapted to energize thecontrol devices,

c. a plurality of control switches, each control switch energizing aunique combination of said signal lines,

d. each said unique combination of signal lines in turn connected to andenergizing only a unique, corresponding control device,

trol switch, when actuated, passes current to said unique combination ofsignal lines through a single conductor, in turn connected to saidunique combination of signal lines through diodes.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 wherein said control devices arebistable relays.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 wherein said control switches arenormally biased open and define a series path when open.

1. An electrical system adapted for use in an automobile, including, a.a plurality of control devices each requiring plural inputs thereto foractuation, and adapted to each control the energization of an associatedelectrical load, b. a plurality of signal lines connected to and adaptedto energize the control devices, c. a plurality of control switches,each control switch energizing a unique combination of said signallines, d. each said unique combination of signal lines in turn connectedto and energizing only a unique, corresponding control device, e. thetotal number of signal lines being greater than the number in saidunique combination.
 2. The electrical system of claim 1 including areturn line for each control device, said return lines being separatefrom said signal lines.
 3. The electrical system of claim 1 in whicheach said control device is connected to its unique combination ofsignal lines through a plurality of diodes, one diode located in eachconnection.
 4. The electrical system of claim 3 wherein each controlswitch, when actuated, passes current to said unique combination ofsignal lines through a single conductor, in turn connected to saidunique combination of signal lines through diodes.
 5. The electricalsystem of claim 1 wherein said control devices are bistable relays. 6.The electrical system of claim 1 wherein said control switches arenormally biased open and define a series path when open.